A bit about Traci Akierman and her business, KeLibu …

People often ask me how I came up with the name KeLibu (pronounced Kee Lee boo). It’s a mash-up of my daughter’s and son’s initials and their nicknames.

As a kid, my two sisters and I had a lot of dolls. My dad would make furniture for them and my mom sewed them clothes and bedding. When I was 8, she started giving me scraps from her stash and I would hand sew clothes for my Barbies and Cabbage Patch Kid. They were hideous but I thought they were great.

I gave up sewing when I was a teenager and didn’t pick it up again until I was in my late 20’s. I learned as much as I could from books and the internet about how to sew and properly finish seams. I wasn’t satisfied with how my clothes were turning out straight from the pattern, so I started trying to learn how to alter patterns and clothing for better fit. I started experimenting with making my own patterns.

Somewhere in the middle of my sewing journey, I became a mom.

When my daughter started playing with 18 inch dolls, I decided to start making her some clothing for them. I drafted up a few patterns and made a few things. Then I started looking around for patterns online and found that other designers were publishing doll clothes patterns and I decided to give it a try.

At first, I tried to stick with typical wardrobe items. Over time I realised that I could merge my love of costuming, cosplay and sci-fi/fantasy with pattern design. Then things started to really click for me.

Come play with me!

Products include …

I make patterns for 14-14.5 inch dolls such as WellieWishers and Hearts for Hearts, 16 inch dolls such as A Girl for All Time, 18 inch dolls such as American Girl, Maplelea, Our Generation, Ikuzi and Newberry, slim 18 inch dolls such as Journey Girls and Kidz ‘N’ Cats, MSD sized ball jointed dolls such as Kaye Wiggs and Liz Frost and 20 inch dolls such as Maru and Friends. I love making fantasy, steampunk and Mori Girl outfits and accessories patterns, as well as fashionable wardrobe staple patterns.

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